1) Try to find a career path for the job you are in. What is the next logical promotion or job that would give you greater responsibilities if you do your job well? Is it higher paying, does it have more responsibilities? If there is no career path and you are ambitious, you may realize that you are in a dead-end job and decide to start looking around. If, on the other hand, doing your job well may lead to a promotion, you will want to know what it is that you have to do to get the promotion!

2) Get your supervisor to explain in detail what the measurements of good performances are: What do you need to do in order to get ahead in the job you already have, or move laterally, or get an increase in pay?

3) Agree with your supervisor on your plan for accomplishments this next year. This way, you and s/he can be on the same wavelength as to how you meet these measurements, and you can feel confident about getting an excellent performance rating or a promotion for the next review.

4) By the way, don't argue or take things personally. It never works. The review is not a reflection or your own accomplishments or self-worth -- it's only a perspective of the reviewer given a set of priorities that the reviewer has. Try to find out where the reviewer is coming from and get a sense of his/her plans for the department, so that you can know how to deal with him or her in this next year.

5) If this does not turn out to be a good review, QUIETLY look for another job. Between the boss and the subordinate in a performance review, the boss usually wins!